Rotary unit apparatus and rotation supporting apparatus

Abstract

To provide a rotary unit and a rotation support used for television, etc., with a simple structure, which can generate an adequate friction torque and has a strength enough to prevent an escape and fracture during its use, even if it is made of aluminum die-cast material or synthetic resin article, a lower interior cylindrical body and an upper interior cylindrical body are provided on an upper disc portion and a lower disc portion of a fixed cylindrical body and/or a rotary cylindrical body rotatably connected by a hinge shaft, and a reinforcing member is attached to the lower and the upper interior cylindrical bodies. The reinforcing member comprises an insertion hole in which the hinge shaft is inserted, wherein locking portions provided on a plurality of locking pieces (which are provided by folding the outer circumference portions) are locked by the lower and the upper interior cylindrical bodies.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A rotary unit apparatus comprising a fixed cylindrical body attached to a base member, said fixed cylindrical body comprising: an upper disc portion; a lower interior cylindrical body surrounding an insertion hole provided on said upper disc portion, said lower interior cylindrical body being provided to hang down perpendicular to said upper disc portion; a lower exterior cylindrical body provided on an outer circumference of said lower interior cylindrical body spaced apart at a predetermined interval from said lower exterior cylindrical body, said lower interior cylindrical body being provided to hang down perpendicular to said upper disc portion; and a plurality of outer ribs connecting said lower interior cylindrical body and said lower exterior cylindrical body;
 a rotary cylindrical body attached to a supporting member, said rotary cylindrical body comprising: a lower disc portion; an upper interior cylindrical body erected upward from said lower disc portion; an upper exterior cylindrical body provided on an outer circumference of said upper interior cylindrical body spaced apart at a predetermined interval from said upper interior cylindrical body and erected upward from said lower disc portion; a plurality of outer ribs connecting said upper interior cylindrical body and said upper interior cylindrical body; and a lower cylindrical body provided so as to hang down perpendicular to said lower disc portion and to pass through said insertion hole provided on said upper disc portion, said lower cylindrical body protruding to the inside of said lower interior cylindrical body; 
 a hinge shaft passing through said lower cylindrical body, said hinge shaft connecting said rotary cylindrical body and said fixed cylindrical body in a relatively rotatable manner; 
 a friction mechanism comprising a first friction washer, said hinge shaft being inserted into an insertion hole of said first friction washer and said first friction washer being locked by said upper disc portion of said fixed cylindrical body; a second friction washer in contact with said first friction washer, said hinge shaft being inserted into an insertion hole of said second friction washer and said second friction washer being locked by said upper disc portion of said fixed cylindrical body; a third friction washer in direct or indirect contact with a lower surface side of said upper disc portion, said third friction washer being fixed to said lower cylindrical body; and elastic means in contact with said third friction washer, said elastic means being mounted on said hinge shaft; and 
 a reinforcing member being provided in a direct and/or indirect contact with said upper disc portion inside said lower interior cylindrical body of said fixed cylindrical body and/or said lower disc portion inside said lower interior cylindrical body of said rotary cylindrical body, and locking pieces provided on said reinforcing member being locked by said lower interior cylindrical body and/or said upper interior cylindrical body. 
 
     
     
       2. The rotary unit apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said hinge shaft comprises a male screw portion and a nut portion, and said male screw portion is screwed into a female screw hole provided on said lower cylindrical body of said rotary cylindrical body. 
     
     
       3. The rotary unit apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a spacer washer is provided between said upper disc portion of said fixed cylindrical body and said lower disc portion of said rotary cylindrical body, said spacer washer comprising an insertion hole and being fixed to said upper disc portion, by housing said first friction washer and said second friction washer into said insertion hole of said spacer washer. 
     
     
       4. The rotary unit apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said reinforcing member comprises a plurality of locking pieces provided by folding edges of said reinforcing member, and locking portions of said locking pieces are locked by locking ribs provided on an inner wall of said lower interior cylindrical body and/or said upper interior cylindrical body, so as to structure said reinforcing member. 
     
     
       5. The rotary unit apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said reinforcing member comprises a plurality of locking pieces provided by folding edges of said reinforcing member, and locking portions of said locking pieces are locked by an open end side of said lower interior cylindrical body and/or said upper interior cylindrical body, so as to structure said reinforcing member. 
     
     
       6. The rotary unit apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said reinforcing member comprises a plurality of locking pieces provided by folding edges of said reinforcing member, and locking portions of said locking pieces are locked by an open end side of said lower interior cylindrical body and/or said upper interior cylindrical body, and/or said outer ribs, so as to structure said reinforcing member. 
     
     
       7. The rotary unit apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said reinforcing member comprises a plurality of locking pieces provided by folding edges of said reinforcing member, and locking portions of said locking pieces are locked by locking ribs provided on an inner wall of said lower interior cylindrical body and/or said upper interior cylindrical body, and/or said open end side of said lower interior cylindrical body and/or said upper interior cylindrical body, so as to structure said reinforcing member. 
     
     
       8. A rotation supporting apparatus, comprising the rotary unit apparatus according  claim 1 . 
     
     
       9. A rotation supporting apparatus, comprising the rotary unit apparatus according  claim 2 . 
     
     
       10. A rotation supporting apparatus, comprising the rotary unit apparatus according  claim 3 . 
     
     
       11. A rotation supporting apparatus, comprising the rotary unit apparatus according  claim 4 . 
     
     
       12. A rotation supporting apparatus, comprising the rotary unit apparatus according  claim 5 . 
     
     
       13. A rotation supporting apparatus, comprising the rotary unit apparatus according  claim 6 . 
     
     
       14. A rotation supporting apparatus, comprising the rotary unit apparatus according  claim 7 .